1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to networks, and more particularly, to networks with plurality of switches.
2. Related Art
Network systems are commonly used to move network information (may also be referred to interchangeably, as frames, packets or commands) between computing systems (for example, servers) or between computing systems and network devices (for example, storage systems). Various hardware and software components are used to implement network communication, including network switches.
A network switch is typically a multi-port device where each port manages a point-to-point connection between itself and a port of another system. Each port can be attached to a port another server, peripheral, input/output subsystem, bridge, hub, router, or another switch. The term network switch used herein includes a multi-level switch that uses plural switching elements within a single switch chassis to route data packets.
Clusters of systems are built by using multiple switches in one or more chassis. A multi-level switch that uses plural switching elements within a single switch chassis may be used as a building block to build a cluster. Multiple systems are interconnected by connecting ports of a system with ports of other systems in the clusters through for example, one or more multi-level switches.
Initially, a cluster may include a minimal number of systems coupled through one or more multi-level switches, with each multi-level switch providing a certain level of expandability. As computing needs increase, additional systems may be added to expand the cluster. As the cluster grows, there may be a need to add additional multi-level switches or add additional ports to couple additional systems or additional switches.
As the number of systems in a cluster is increased, there is a need to provide for an efficient multi-level switch that maximizes investment in switching hardware. As multi-level switches are in the path of two interconnected systems over a network, there is a need to provide a multi-level switch that ideally provides a bandwidth at the input of the switch and at the output of the switch that is comparable to the maximum bandwidth of the network. As multi-level switches add additional hops in the data path, when transmitting data from a source system to a destination system, there is a need to minimize the number of hops. As technology evolves, there is also a need to provide a multi-level switch that is flexible in providing expansion capability.
It is with one or more of these needs in mind that the current disclosure arises.